DiskitisSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Diskitis
Diskitis is swelling (inflammation) and irritation of the space between the bones of the spine (intervertebral disk space).
Disk inflammation
Diskitis is an uncommon condition. It is usually seen in children younger than 10 years and in adults around 50 years of age. Men are more often affected than women.
Diskitis can be caused by an infection due to bacteria or a virus. It can also be caused by inflammation, such as from autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which the immune system mistakenly attacks certain cells in the body.
Disks in the neck and low back are most commonly affected.
Symptoms may include any of the following:
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain
- Difficulty getting up and standing
- Fever (typically 102°F or 38.9°C or lower)
- Increased curvature of the back
- Irritability
- Neck pain
- Sweating at night
- Recent flu-like symptoms
- Refusal to sit up, stand, or walk (younger child)
- Stiffness in back
The goal is to treat the cause of the inflammation or infection and reduce pain. Treatment may involve any of the following:
- Antibiotics if there is an infection caused by bacteria
- Anti-inflammatory medicines if the cause is an autoimmune disease
- Pain medicines such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Bed rest or a brace to keep the back from moving
- Surgery if other methods don't work
Spine Specialists At SNI
Dr. Chapman is keen on understanding the underlying pathology as clearly as possible and finding the best possible non-operative or surgical options for patients to be able to achieve a lasting, improved quality of life. Dr. Chapman is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Diskitis. He is also highly rated in 21 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Spondylolisthesis, Scoliosis, Diskitis, Laminectomy, and Spinal Fusion. Dr. Chapman is board certified in American Board Of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Chapman is currently accepting new patients.
Swedish Neurosurgery - Issaquah
Dr. Abdul-Jabbar seeks to provide individualized care to each of his patients, which is increasingly important with the wide variety of treatment options available. Each person comes into a spinal consultation with a unique constellation of personal, physical and medical backgrounds. Dr. Abdul-Jabbar will work to integrate all of these considerations in helping patients achieve their health-care goals. His personal interests include cycling, yoga and camping. Dr. Abdul-Jabbar uses the Swedish Digital Surgical Journey to guide his practice and maintain consistent communication with his patients throughout their care. This includes offering virtual visits to patients, timely access to information, and interactive messages, check-ins, and reminders, allowing patients to become custodians of their own care. Dr. Abdul is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Diskitis. He is also highly rated in 4 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Diskitis, Spinal Stenosis, Spondylolisthesis, Osteotomy, and Spinal Fusion. Dr. Abdul is board certified in American Board Of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Abdul is currently accepting new patients.
Ehab Shiban practices practicing medicine in Munich, Germany. Mr. Shiban is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Diskitis. He is also highly rated in 6 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Diskitis, Epidural Abscess, Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Craniectomy, and Spinal Fusion.
Children with an infection should fully recover after treatment. In rare cases, chronic back pain persists.
In cases of autoimmune disease, the outcome depends on the underlying condition. These are often chronic illnesses that need long-term medical care.
Complications may include:
- Persistent back pain (rare)
- Side effects of medicines
- Worsening pain with numbness and weakness in your limbs
- Formation of abscess in or near the spine
Contact your provider if you or your child has back pain that does not go away, or problems with standing and walking that seem unusual for the child's age.
Summary: Pain control of rib fractures is essential for not only primary pain relief but also preventing secondary complications such as atelectasis or pneumonia which increase the hospital stay, as well as the transition to chronic pain. The cornerstones of analgesic management are oral and intravenous medications such as paracetamol, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids as well as re...
Summary: Initial oral antibiotic treatment for children and adolescents with uncomplicated bone and joint infections (BJI) has been found non-inferior to initial IV antibiotics in one randomized controlled trial (RCT). The real-world effectiveness of initial oral antibiotics for children and adolescents with BJI is unclear. This nationwide, prospective, multicenter, real-world cohort study aims to compare ...
Published Date: August 27, 2024
Published By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Mathew R, Hong DK. Diskitis. In: Long SS, eds. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 77.
Williams KD. Infections and tumors of the spine. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 42.